London is the healthiest region in the United Kingdom, according to statistics from healthcare provider Simply Health and pollsters YouGov. Londoners are the most likely to exercise (38%) and are significantly more likely to bicycle, consume organic food and use fitness and health apps than anywhere else in the UK.
Almost half of all adults in the city have a healthy body mass index (BMI) of under 25, compared to the national average of 38%. However, around half of all London residents are still classed as overweight or obese, according to data from the think tank Centre for London.
Studies show that obesity increases the risk of at least 13 types of cancer, heart disease, strokes and heart attacks, type 2 diabetes and also dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This is why our methodologies focus on fat loss at Ultimate Performance as a path to optimal health.
Obesity rates are not evenly distributed across London, with some areas of the capital faring better than others.
- East London boroughs, such as Havering, Bexleyheath, Newham, and Barking and Dagenham, have the highest rates of obesity, with between 63% and 71% of the adult population classed as obese.
- Central and West London boroughs, such as Camden, Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Richmond, and Hammersmith, have some of the lowest rates of adult obesity, between 46% and 50%.
- Around two-thirds of Londoners are classed as physically active, hitting the target of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical exercise a week set by the Government’s Chief Medical Officer.
- Less than half the residents of East London boroughs, such as Newham, and Barking and Dagenham, achieve this 150-minute activity target, according to the Centre for London.
- More than 70% of adults in boroughs in the south and west of London, such as Richmond, Hounslow and Southwark, achieve the recommended amount of physical activity per week.
The Centre for London’s analysis shows a relatively strong correlation between obesity problems, inactivity, and low levels of walking or cycling across the different boroughs.
Obesity is most prevalent in places where activity and exercise levels are lowest, such as Barking and Dagenham, Newham, Havering and Sutton. While areas like Haringey and Tower Hamlets have low levels of physical exercise, they have higher rates of active travel which results in lower rates of obesity.
This supports our own methodologies at Ultimate Performance. We know daily activity is a key driver of weight loss and a central factor in successful weight management. And so, we encourage clients across our Kensington, St Paul’s, Mayfair and City of London personal training gyms to hit a minimum target of 10,000 steps per day to support effective weight loss.
Life expectancy for Londoners is slightly above the national average, with men living to 80 and women living to 84, on average, in the capital. The proportion of life Londoners can expect to spend in good health, free of long-term disease or disability – also known as ‘health span’ – is around 79% for men and 77% for women.
However, there is a great variance in healthy life expectancy across different areas in London. And factors like diet, exercise levels, lifestyle, wealth and access to healthcare all play a role.
- Men in Tower Hamlets spend 73% of their life in good health compared to men in Sutton, who have an 86% healthy life expectancy.
- Women in Tower Hamlets spend just 69% of their life in a good state of health compared to 84% in Southwark.
- Boroughs like Kensington and Chelsea have a high life expectancy (83 years for men), but only 75% of these years are spent in good health. Whereas men in Barking and Dagenham have a life expectancy of 78 years, but 81% of those years are spent in robust health.
- Londoners over the age of 65 have a lower health-related quality of life on mobility, self-care, activity, pain and discomfort, and anxiety and depression measures compared to everywhere else except Northern England.
London Personal Trainer FAQs
The cost of a one-to-one personal training package at our London gyms varies depending on your location, the time of day you would like to train, session frequency, and your total package length.
As a result, each training package is designed bespoke for each client. However, we reward loyalty by offering a discount on large packages.
If you want to invest in your lifelong health and fitness, getting a personal trainer is invaluable.
Just as you would hire a lawyer or architect, a personal training professional is there as a trusted advisor for your health and fitness, giving you the expertise and guidance needed to get results.
Ultimate Performance offers the best-in-class of personal training in London and in the world.
Working with our world-class team will help you train safely and effectively, master the principles of nutrition, keep you accountable to your goals, and learn the tools and skills needed to maintain lifelong health that may take years to learn on your own.
Finding the right personal trainer in London isn’t easy. There are no universal standards that mark out a good personal trainer from a bad one in the fitness industry, generally.
So, you should look for a personal trainer with a strong track record of results with the kinds of clients that are similar to you or match your goals.
The right personal trainer will focus on your goals and build a program that fits your lifestyle, abilities, needs and aims – not the other way around.
The best personal trainers work with you in partnership. They are not just there to be a friend, count reps, or push their own goals onto you.
Ultimately, the right personal trainer for you is someone who helps you set relevant and achievable goals and gives you the accountability and structure to accomplish them.
Ultimate Performance is radically different to any gym or personal trainers you have experienced before.
We are not just the best gym in London – we are the best personal trainers on the planet.
What we have created is a proven model that gives clients a framework to achieve the results they want – no matter what their starting point, ability or goal.
We have a proven track record working with over 20,000 body transformation clients across the globe since 2018 alone.
Our model is built on science and driven by data to give clients measurable outcomes on metrics across the board, from body fat and BMI to improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.
Our training methods have been refined over the past decade to be the most efficient and effective way of getting in shape possible.
Our London gyms are different to anything else in the city. We do not offer memberships.
As a private, personal training-only gym, our model is built on working with clients for a set period and delivering the maximum results possible in that time.
Our trainers are selected from the most gifted and driven candidates from across the globe, with only 1 in every 100 applicants making the cut for a personal training career with us.
Your dedicated trainer is with you as a trusted advisor and professional partner around the clock – not just for your hour in the gym.
Your trainer manages every aspect of your transformation journey, training and nutrition while keeping you motivated and accountable to your goal.
Our results-driven model runs contrary to 99.9% of the personal training industry. Our trainers’ successes and career progression are measured and incentivised solely on the quality of results they produce. And on the value and return on investment they demonstrably give to their clients.